


My Favorite Cliche

by PukingPlatitudes



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-02 03:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5231771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PukingPlatitudes/pseuds/PukingPlatitudes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A week and a half after the rise and fall of the self-proclaimed "Dark Avatar", Republic City was still trying to get back on its feet. Even your typically boring life as a waitress had become a struggle. You knew deep down change was on the wind, and things would never be "normal" again. And maybe, just maybe, you were ready to accept that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Yeye Shiyun's Traditional Earth Kingdom Cuisine

He was like someone out of a book.

From his dark, tousled hair to his amber eyes, to that air of mystery about him, it was like somebody had pulled ink off the pages of a forgotten novel and given them life.

You tried your hardest to pretend that he didn't fascinate you whenever he came in to YeYe Shiyun's – the bustling restaurant you worked at – but clearly you weren't doing a good enough job. At least, not good enough to keep your boss, Baoshi, from teasing you about it.

“I don't like him.” You'd always try to explain. “He's just interesting.”

Baoshi never believed you, and how could he? Your face would heat up and your eyes would grow wide at even the slightest mention of this mysterious stranger.

“His name's Mako.” Baoshi explained to you one Friday night after the golden eyed man had left. “He's stopped in every Friday since he and his brother were taken off the street a few years back.”

“Mako, huh?” You replied, attempting to sound as disinterested as you could.

“Yeah. Retired pro-bender. Moved on to doing police work after that whole 'Amon' issue got fixed.” Baoshi continued. His tone seemed playful as it bounced from syllable to syllable – like he knew you wanted to know more, but neither of you were going to directly address that fact.

But in the weeks that passed since that night, it had become far more obvious when Baoshi was picking on you. And maybe that's because your feelings for Mako hadn't really dissipated. If anything, they had gotten worse.

You still hadn't really held a conversation with him, despite winding up serving him every time he came in to get something to eat. No, you just smiled, and nodded, and hoped that the fluttering in your stomach would stop long enough for you to take his order. Not that you really needed to ask what he wanted – it was the same thing every week. Green tea, and a hibiscus root salad, then on his way out he'd always get a few chicken and lemon dumplings to go.

You knew you had to do something about your feelings. Or, “curiosity” as you dubbed it, still too stubborn to admit to yourself that you may have had a tiny little bit of a crush on him.

After baring witness to the attempted rise and spectacular fall of the self-proclaimed “Dark Avatar”, and all the destruction that the city was recovering from, you were given a new burst of motivation to do something with your life. The same kind of motivation that brought you to Republic City in the first place only a few months prior. But this motivation wasn't from the same kind of hope. This stemmed from the impending fear of time running out before you were given the chance to do everything you wanted. The world wasn't going to wait around for you. Things were beginning to change, and you weren't willing to be left behind.  
 

* * *

  
“The vines keep on growing, and the Avatar's approval rating keeps on dropping.” The man on the radio said. Even though his tone was upbeat, it was obvious that he was unhappy with the current state of Republic City. It wasn't a surprise to you. Everyone was upset.

Even Yeye Shiyun's had been effected by the spirit vines.

Baoshi had instructed that you keep business going as usual. “It's nothing,” he insisted, trying to pry a cabinet open from under the foreign fauna, “Just ignore it.”

Easier said than done.

You had spent the better part of your Friday afternoon stepping over vines, ducking under them, and weaving through them, smiling at customers and making the usual small talk pretending as if you weren't phased by the state of the restaurant in the slightest. Perhaps, if there were more people working, it wouldn't have been as bad, but two other waitresses had walked out, as did a chef, and at least three people called in for back up couldn't make it to the restaurant from their houses.

"Table seventeen is still waiting on their seaweed wraps!" You shouted over the pandemonium of the kitchen.

"Working on it!" Your coworker Etsuko replied. "Tell them it will be a few more minutes! It was kind of hard to get to the seaweed!"

"Got it!" You said with a nod. You went back out to the lobby of the restaurant, and over to table seventeen, where a middle aged woman and an elderly woman (presumably mother and daughter) were sitting.

"Is it coming?" The younger of the two women asked, her pale blue eyes cold, and hard, like gunmetal.

"It's on it's way," You explained, lacing your voice with the faux-sweetness you always had to when dealing with customers. "The vines are making it kind of difficult to get to some of our ingredients, as you can imagine, and we apologize for any delays they're causing."

"Alright." The woman said, the corners of her lips curling into a small smile. You had a feeling it wasn't "alright" - the corners of her eyes didn't move when she smiled, and her tone was more irritated than anything.

_You can't do anything to fix this_ , you reminded yourself. You settled on giving the woman a small smile in return, and turned to head back to the kitchen.

As you began to walk away, you heard her whispering under her breath. "If they can't get people their food, they shouldn't be open."

You sighed to yourself. Comments like that were part of your daily customer service experience. They weren't cruel, just  _rude_. People would complain about anything if it meant that they would have a reason to tip a server less.

Your inner monologue was cut short by the sound of the door opening. "Hi, welcome back to Yeye Shiyun's. Sorry your usual spot is unavailable." The hostess, Aimi, said in her usual bubbly way.

"That's fine." A familiar voice replied.

You knew who it was, but that didn't stop you from turning in hopes of catching a glimpse of him.

Yep, it was Mako. He looked weary, his movements heavier and with much less confidence than usual...  _Not that you paid attention to those things_ , you reminded yourself. He was lead to a seat near the back of the restaurant - not the window seat by the door he preferred, for the expected vine-related reasons. 

Aimi looked over at you, shooting you an impish grin and motioning with her head for you to go talk to Mako. You responded with a playful glare before making your way over to the table, slowly but surely maneuvering your way through the restaurant.

"Hi there." You began with a smile, struggling to keep your balance on the uneven floor beneath you. "Can I start you off with something to drink? The usual, perhaps?"

"Yes, please." Mako replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Alright, I'll get that right out for you... Hopefully." You said, half giggling, half begging for this work day to end.

"Take your time." He chuckled. "It doesn't look like today's been too easy on you guys."

"Oh, no, it's been great." You responded, sarcasm dripping off of every word. "I'm really loving the new look of the place. Not to mention the efficiency. We've never worked better!"

"I can tell!" A small smile began to form on Mako's face. "I bet you couldn't wait to come in to work today."

"I couldn't! I set an alarm a whole hour and a half early just to make sure I wouldn't be late for even a  _second_  of this day." You thought back to the morning, alarm clock blaring at the crack of dawn, and your now forty-minute walk to work.

"Now  _that_  is dedication." He quipped, a slight twinkle in his golden eyes.

"Isn't it?" You could feel your face beginning to heat up as his smile grew wider. "So, I'll uh... Yeah. I'll get that tea for you."

You gave him a nod and began the treacherous journey back to the kitchen, mentally cursing yourself the whole time.  _You just **had**  to get flustered, didn't you,_ you thought to yourself slipping under a vine,  _you couldn't just be normal and hold a conversation with him_. You strained your legs to step over the large bump where the floor was warped and raised.

_You just **had**  to have a crush on a customer_...


	2. The Finer Points Of Inefficiency

“Baoshi!” You called, as you struggled to make your way back into the kitchen. “Do we have any clean tea cups?”

“Maybe.” Your boss replied – from where remained a mystery. “I can't really get to the dish rack. You're going to have to check for yourself.” This sentence was followed up by a strained groan, and the sound of leaves rustling. Part of you was tempted to ask what was going on, but a larger part really didn't want to find out.

“Okay. I can do that.” You replied, before continuing to navigate the uneven floors of the restaurant.

The dish rack was precariously perched on a slab of uplifted tile and dirt. The only thing keeping it standing was the wall behind it – a wall everyone in the restaurant had a new appreciation for. It was almost amazing how much you all took for granted – like stable flooring, open spaces, and functional walls – that you all coveted now.

“While you're over there – get me a knife would you?” Baoshi asked, sounding casual as ever despite the obvious struggle you were overhearing just moments before.

“Uh... Yeah?” You made it to the dish rack, and made sure to grab a teacup and saucer first, just in case somebody else would need one in the half-minute you'd be away helping your boss. Then, of course, you grabbed the knife. “Where... are you, exactly?”

“Up here.”

You turned your gaze towards the ceiling. Lo and behold, there was Baoshi, perched on a vine. “Am I allowed to ask  _why_?”

“It's blocking the vents.” He explained in a matter-of-fact manner, like there was nothing strange about the situation.

“Right... Okay...” You nodded, slowly, still trying to process what he was trying to get done. “So you're going to use a... kitchen knife... to cut through vines that are wider than our doors?”

“Exactly!” He said, climbing half-way down the vine he was perched on. “Now, knife please.”

Clearly questioning his motives wasn't going to make anything make sense, so you just handed him the knife and walked over to the tea cabinets. You grabbed an infuser from the cabinet, filled it with boiling water from the teapot nearby, and filled it with herbs. You placed that on a tray with the teacup and saucer, and began the trek back to the table.  
 

* * *

  
“Sorry about the delay!” You said as you approached Mako's table, trying your hardest to pretend that you weren't exhausted from traversing the restaurant.

“I think I can forgive you.” Mako replied.

It was strange, you noticed, that his eyes didn't follow your hands when you went to put the tea down on his table. Instead, they lingered on you. At least, that's what it seemed like. You weren't entirely sure. Perhaps it was just your imagination, being optimistic and clueless as ever.

“Really? You sure about that?” You caught yourself giggling slightly. “It's a pretty terrible crime.”

“Well, on behalf of the Republic City Police Department, you are hereby pardoned.” He smiled, pouring the tea into his cup. He blew on it softly, and took a small sip. He lifted the cup in a faux-toast. “You make amazing tea, by the way.”

And the flush was coming back to your cheeks. You could feel your knees grow weak, and the butterflies return to your stomach. But you stood your ground, silently praying that he wouldn't notice how red your face was turning. “Oh, thanks. But I wouldn't say that's my skill. All I do is put leaves in hot water and hope for the best.”

“Please.” Mako scoffed. “Give yourself some credit. I've been drinking tea here for years. Yours is great!”

“I-I'm glad you like it.” You managed, trying to stifle the giddy schoolgirl that was squealing somewhere in the back of your mind. “So uh... Should I go tell them to start on making your usual?” You asked, gesturing vaguely to the door to the kitchen.

“Uh. Yeah, sure. That works for me.” He replied. You caught something in his voice that sounded like uncertainty.

“Are you sure?”

He paused, seemingly pensive, his lips pursed. “What do you recommend?”

You cocked your brow. All the times in the past, he never bothered to order anything different, let alone ask for a recommendation. “That's a good question.” You said in a half-hearted attempt to pretend you weren't stalling. You probably weren't the best person to ask. Even though you had been working there for a few months, you hadn't tried most of what was on the menu. Mostly because the “traditional Earth Kingdom” foods usually didn't sound all too appetizing. Sure, some people loved beetle-worm soup, and others would make it a point to get deep-fried pickled radishes at least once a week, but those weren't really your style.

“I personally like our egg custard tarts, or the seared elephant koi.” You finally said.

Mako nodded, mulling over the options. “I think I'll try the elephant koi.”

“Elephant koi it is then.” You grinned. “I'll have that right out for you.”  
 

* * *

  
Yeye Shiyun's was officially the least efficient restaurant on the entire west side of Republic City.

It had taken table seventeen – the one occupied by the two women waiting for their seaweed wraps – roughly an hour to get their meals. When one of your coworkers brought them their food, the younger woman had gone off at the poor girl, prompting her to join the others that had walked out of work that day. Meanwhile the bus boy had broken at least seven different dishes by tripping over the vines. You were functioning alright, in comparison, if you ignored the fact that you were the only server working on a Friday night. You had confused several different orders, and the wait times on the food were unreal.

The entire building was filled with agitated chatter as you frantically navigated the rooms in a futile attempt to get people their meals in a reasonable time frame.

If there was one thing you were thankful for, it was Mako. He was being incredibly patient, only asking for refills on his tea occasionally, knowing that it was the most you could do.

“I'm just a waitress, sir.” You explained to one man, who demanded that you “hurry it up”.

“The current condition of the restaurant isn't allowing us to work at our usual pace. If you'd like I can get you free refills on your drink.” You said to another.

But the thing about customers, you realized, is that they never want to hear that workers are only human.

“How much longer on the uh... Everything?!” You shouted into the kitchen.

“Yes.” Etsuko replied – her nonsensical reply falling short of humor.

“Maybe we should just not feed them. Let them starve... Maybe they'll eat each other... Fix two problems at once.” Baoshi said, still trying to saw his way through the vine blocking the vents.

“Do we at least have the elephant koi coming up?” You asked, shifting your weight impatiently.

“Don't you worry. Your Prince Charming's meal is on his way.” Etsuko said with a snicker.

You let out an agitated sigh. “Really? Now you're doing it too? Bao, you're a horrible influence.”

“I had nothing to do with that!” Your boss insisted, not taking his eyes off of his seemingly endless task.

“He's right. That was entirely on me.” Etsuko smirked, face smug as ever. “Here's his food.” She slid the plate of seared elephant koi across the counter.

“Thanks.” You muttered indignantly.  
 

* * *

  
“Here you go.” You said as you put the plate down in front of Mako. You didn't even bother masking the exhaustion and frustration in your voice. “We really didn't mean for it to uh... Take this long.”

“Hey, don't worry about it.” Mako replied. “Really, I don't mind. You're doing great.”

You gave a weak laugh in response. “Yeah? Well, thanks. I kind of really needed to hear that right now.”

“I don't get why you aren't hearing it more. Doing all this? On your own? That can't be easy!”

You shrugged slightly. “It could be worse.”  _Blatant lies_. “But at least I'm not stuck here much longer.”  _And a wonderful truth_.

Mako nodded. The expression on his face was hard to read, but your best guess was “contemplative”.

“What time are you out?” He asked after his brief moment of reflection.

“Seven.” You replied. You wondered if this meant what it sounded like it meant. It  _did_  sound like it. But...  _no_. You shook the thought. What would be the chances of him actually-

“Seven huh?” Mako's voice brought your racing thoughts back to reality. “How about... Uh... After this, I treat you to dinner... Somewhere with less vines, maybe?”

You caught yourself giggling again – more out of nerves than a response to humor.

“I uh... Y-yeah. Yeah, sure, totally. That would be nice.” You stammer, hardly comprehending what had just happened.

“Really? I mean uh. Awesome. Great. I'm looking forward to it.”

You weren't entirely sure, but you could have sworn that Mako had blushed, even just a little bit. But you didn't have time to get hung up in that . You had other problems to deal with at the moment.

Like, for example, preparing yourself for the reactions of your coworkers when they see you leaving with him,


	3. The Great Escape (On An Average Scale)

There weren't any words to describe your relief when the hands on the clock finally hit seven, and the other waitress staffed for the night came in. “Hey, am I good to go?!” You asked, but with little reason. Your apron was already off and there was absolutely  _no_  way that anyone could talk you into doing anymore work. It wasn't even because of the prospect of a date with Mako. No, this was from pure, unadulterated exhaustion.

“Why are you in such a hurry? Got something better to do?” Baoshi said with a chuckle.

“For your information, yes.” You crossed your arms in mock indignation.

Baoshi heaved a heavy sigh. “Mira made it in?” You nodded. “Then, I  _guess_  you're free to go."

“Awesome! Thanks!” You beamed, taking off back towards Mako's table, hardly acknowledging Baoshi's reminder of your shift the next morning.  
 

* * *

  
“All set?” Mako asked before taking a final sip of his tea.

“Yeah. Finally.” You replied, shifting your weight on your aching feet, trying to find some position that offered even the slightest bit of comfort. “You didn't have to wait here, you know.”

“I didn't mind.” He said with a shrug. For some reason, you believed him. He hadn't complained the entire time he was waiting for you, and was being treated to unlimited free tea refills. It really wasn't the most horrible situation he could have been stuck in. “So, about dinner. What do you like?”

You pursed your lips. You knew you should have been prepared for that question, but with the chaos of your entire workday you weren't really given any opportunities to think about that, or  _anything_  for that matter. “That's a good question.” You chuckled lightly, taking a seat at the table.

“There's a place a few blocks from here my brother and I go to sometimes. It's mostly water tribe food, but it has a bit of everything.” Mako explained. “We could always go there.” There was something about his suggestion that sounded cautious, and you couldn't help but smile at that.  
  
“That sounds like a great idea.”  
 

* * *

  
Republic City was never stagnant. You could walk down the same road every day but it would never feel the same. Sure, there was always that sense of familiarity – that would never go away – but the sights and sounds were so rapidly shifting and evolving you could never find yourself stuck in a rut. Not when there was so much going on.

At least, that's how usually was.

But on that cold, early-spring night, when you were wandering the vine-ridden streets with Mako, everything was still. Every how and then the two of you would come across pockets of people, usually around shops or popular restaurants, but compared to the typical atmosphere, it felt so weary and vacant.

The two of you made small talk. Not the uncomfortable sort that happens when you're trying to avoid an awkward silence, but the kind that happens naturally when you're eagerly trying to get to know somebody. The kind that comes with shameless laughter in the midst of sharing stories, and timid glances when you think the other person isn't looking (even though deep down you might almost want to get caught).

You had known for a while that Mako wasn't the sort of person to open up too easily. He was always rather enigmatic, like the mysterious stranger with the tragic past that you always read about in novels. It just added to the ever expanding list of things that intrigued you about him. But as you chatted, you were almost surprised by how willing he was to open up about things. He wasn't spilling his heart out, but instead sharing little snippets of his life here and there, and you began to piece together a more accurate picture of who he was.

It was almost funny how you forgot that you had a destination. How you were so distracted by talking that when he turned to open the door to a restaurant, it took you by surprise. He seemed to notice, judging by the smirk tugging at his lips, but he didn't say anything.

The restaurant itself was a decent size, and not plagued by vines.  _They have no idea how lucky they are_ , you thought to yourself as the host led you over to a table by the window.

“A server will be with you shortly.” The host said, leaving the two of you to flip through the menus.

“Any recommendations?” You asked Mako, who sat across from you with his menu closed.

“Their arctic hen is really good. So are their seaweed noodles. For drinks? I'd say any of their smoothies, or the cherry berry lemonade.”

You nodded, mulling over the options. “I think I'll go with the noodles. Maybe a mango smoothie.” You closed the menu, and looked back up at Mako. When you were walking beside him, chatting, you hardly felt nervous at all. But being face to face with him was another story. Your face was growing warm again and you could feel your heart wildly pounding against your ribs.

“Hi there! I'm Tuyen, I'll be your waitress today!”

_How did I not see her walk over_? You knew the answer. You just didn't want to admit it.

“Do you two know what you want? Or would you just like to start off with some drinks?” The petite girl said, her gentle blue eyes sparkling with the strangest sincerity – like she truly  _was_  eager to take your order. That didn't seem possible, really, but weirder things had occurred. Like two giant spirits fighting in the waters outside the city. Or maybe a city-wide invasion of otherworldly plants.

“I'll take a lychee smoothie, and some arctic hen.” Mako stated in a way that implied he's ordered that exact meal on a somewhat regular basis. It wouldn't surprise you if he did. He seemed to be a creature of habit.

“And I'll have a mango smoothie, and the seaweed noodles.” You added. You didn't notice how starving you were until you started talking about food.

“Absolutely! I'll have that right out!” Tuyen smiled, grabbing the menus and walking off, her chin length black curls bouncing with every step she took.

“How can anyone working in customer service be that bubbly?” You muttered, trying to think back to the last time you had that much energy at work. It actually seemed a bit like you never did.

“Maybe because she doesn't have to worry about tripping over vines.” Mako replied.

“You just  _had_  to go there with it, huh?” You shook your head, trying to hold back a giggle. “You know, that hurts. Deep.”

“I'm sorry. The truth does that sometimes.”

His smile was contagious.  
 

* * *

  
You forgot how much your feet hurt.

After spending two hours sitting in the restaurant talking to Mako, the fact that you had spent a majority of the day standing had slipped your mind completely. But with each step you took you remembered that fact clear as day.

“Are you okay there?” Mako clearly noticed your increasingly unsteady gait – anyone would if they saw you.

“It's good. I'm fine.” You knew there wasn't _really_  a good reason for that lie, but you still felt like it was necessary. You were having fun, and it seemed like he was too, and the last thing you wanted to do was bring the mood down by complaining.

“I'm having a hard time believing that.” He said. It sounded like he might have been smiling, but you were too preoccupied with figuring out how to walk to minimize your suffering to check.  
  
“Fine. You caught me.” You heaved a heavy sigh, putting your hands up as if you were surrendering. “I maybe sort of... kinda underestimated how sore my feet would be.” He chuckled at this confession. “Shut up! It's not funny!” Okay, so  _maybe_  it was. And  _maybe_  you were laughing too.  
  
“Are you sure you're gonna be able to make it?”  
  
You responded with a dismissive wave of your hand. “I'll be fine. I've got this covered.”  
  
“You're a horrible liar.” He turned to face you. It didn't surprise him to see that you were trailing a few steps behind.  
  
“I'm not lying!”  
  
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Okay, you know what?” He turned around, bending his knees slightly. “You've left me no choice. Come on.”  
  
You weren't entirely sure how to respond. It was clear he was offering to carry you, and you had no problem with that. But it was your first date –  _it is a date, right_? You were pretty sure it was. And you didn't want to come across as the whiny one who couldn't handle herself.  
  
That was your thought process until you took another step towards him. After that, you didn't think twice about it.  
  
“Better?”  
  
There were a lot of ways you wanted to answer that question, while his hands were tucked firmly under your thighs and your chin was resting on his shoulder. But with heavy eyelids and aching limbs, the best you could manage was “yeah.”  
  
And somehow, he didn't seem to mind.


	4. What Is The Dictionary Definition Of "Crisis"?

You weren't sure how you made it back to your apartment, and into your warm familiar bed.

You had foggy memories of the walk home, Mako carrying you on his back while your head rested lazily in the crook of his neck, as you muttered vague directions to your place, but there wasn't much else.

What you  _could_  be sure of was that you definitely weren't ready to wake up when you were jolted back into consciousness by the frantic ringing of the phone on your bedside table.

Trying to shake the last, lingering clouds of sleep from your mind you reached for the phone and managed a groggy "hello".

"(Y/N)!" Your eyelids tore open almost instantly at the sound of Baoshi's voice.

"Y-yeah?" You stammered, pulling yourself into a sitting position.

Something was wrong. Baoshi never called you before work regardless of what was going on. Even in emergencies he'd wait for you to arrive at the restaurant before hunting you down and bombarding you with whatever issue he deemed most concerning on that particular day.

"Where-" His voice was cut off by what you could only assume was the sound of pots and pans falling and clattering. He shouted something at who you presumed was the culprit before turning back to the phone. "Where are you?"

"At home...?" You could feel your voice wavering, warping under the weight of all the stress that was beginning to pile up inside your skull.

"Do you know what time it is?" His tone was calm as the chaos in the background raged on. It only added to your rapidly increasing fear.

You shifted your gaze down to the clock by your beside. The hands read "10:33" and you could have sworn for a second that your heart stopped dead inside your chest.

_You didn't have a chance to set it before you fell asleep_.

"I-I swear I didn't mean to. I overslept and-"

Your frenzied apologies were cut short by a strained chuckle. "Calm down. I'm not...." There was an audible sigh on the other end of the line. "I'm not mad, okay? I'm just a little stressed. Things aren't going so well here."

"Yeah, I'm uh... I'm kinda hearing that." It didn't feel like the appropriate time for any of your snark, but you just couldn't stop yourself.

"You're still gonna make it in though, right?"

You could have lied. You could have taken the day off and been free from the vine ridden restaurant.

But you needed that money to survive.

You didn't really have a choice.  
 

* * *

  
The walk to work was painfully long, as always.

As a non-bender, taking shortcuts through side streets, alleyways, and even parking lots was risky. Your methods of self defense were limited, and you knew very well that you were no match for any bender with even the slightest bit of experience. You'd have to rely on making a quick escape, but with the vines covering the roads "quick" wasn't really going to happen.

Maybe that would be your advantage, you mused. You were spending nearly every day working around and avoiding the invasive plants. If you really had to, you could easily do it in a time of crisis too.

But the only "time of crisis" you were going to be faced with was what laid on the other side of the door to Yeye Shiyun's. 

From the second you got onto the street that the restaurant called home you could see a line outside the building. 

It was a struggle to even enter the building. The front door was blocked by agitated patrons, and the back door was entirely sealed shut by the rogue plants that you were becoming increasingly furious with.

Deciding to throw whatever dignity you had left to the wind, you decided to crawl in through the open window by Baoshi's office - a window you later discovered was open for that exact reason, as each and every other employee arrived in the same unfavorable manor.  
 

* * *

  
You had to wonder if you died on the walk over and were now facing some sort of undeserved torture in the depths of the spirit world. 

Etsuko, the cook, was nearly at her wits end and had spent her entire break chain smoking like she'd never see another cigarette again. Mira, the other waitress, had locked herself in the bathroom sobbing for roughly 45 minutes and refused to talk to absolutely anyone who attempted to comfort her.

Even Baoshi was more of a mess than you had ever seen him before, and based on his history that was truly saying something. The sparkle in his deep olive eyes had died, and for the first time since you had known him you could tell that he wasn't as young as he seemed.

The only thing keeping you sane was the prospect of leaving.

Between customers, you'd let your mind wander to thoughts of everything you wanted to do once you got out of work. Maybe you'd go to that restaurant Mako had brought you to the night before - there were still plenty of things on the menu you wanted to try. Or, you'd go catch a round of pro-bending with all the tips you were making. There was a game that night, right? Maybe the Fire Ferrets would be playing.  _Is Mako's brother still on the team?_

_Focus._

That would be easier said than done. The memories of the previous night were still fresh in your mind and whether you wanted to admit it or not you were giddy as a schoolgirl over what had happened.

Thinking of all the little things that happened was a way to ease the pain. Things like the smell of his cologne on his scarf as you dozed off or the way he'd always look down slightly when he laughed, as if he was almost embarrassed by it.

Because it was the little things that made him so fascinating.

"Table 3 is ready for their bill."

Mira's unsteady voice caught your attention on your dazed walk back to the kitchen. You nodded, noting the tears still lingering in her chestnut eyes. You wanted to say something to console her, but there wasn't anything that could change what was. You both were working a thankless job, and you couldn't even lie and tell her that it would get better.

By the looks of things, it was just getting  _worse_.

You made your way out to the table as usual - watching the loose brick right past table 9 and making sure to step over the ever-growing bump in the floor parallel with the front counter.

It was a flawless process, until you arrived at the table and found an elderly man with his grandson, and a half-eaten plate of food.

"Alrighty, I hope everything was great for you! Here's your bill and..." It was a struggle to force the words out through your gritted teeth and feigned smile. "Would you like a to-go box for that?"

"Yes please, if it's not too much trouble." The man said, with a wide, sincere grin on his face.

No matter how genuinely polite he was being, you were still fighting off the urge to scream. "It wouldn't be a problem at all."

You weren't sure about the feeling pooling in the pit of your stomach - it was somewhere between the urge to sob uncontrollably for the next eight hours, or to smash absolutely everything you could get your hands on while screaming obscenities.

Was getting him a to-go box that big of a deal? Not at all.

But walking back to that kitchen after going all the way out to the farthest possible table was just the icing on the cake that was your horrendously shitty day.

You trudged over to the shelf in the back of the room - the one precariously perched atop a vine and hardly leaning against the wall behind it - where the to-go boxes and a variety of other necessities were stored.

As usual, you perched on your tiptoes and reached up for the boxes, not thinking anything of the hazardous positioning of the shelf they were on.

Perhaps your fingers caught the harsh metal edge wrong, or maybe you put just a little too much weight on it, but you had done something horribly wrong, and you knew it, as the entire shelf shifted and the teapot hastily thrown atop it teetered on the corner.

You knew what was coming, you could see it playing out before your eyes, but before you could reach up and stop it, it began to fall.

You felt a surge - panic, or adrenaline, you figured - as you threw your hands up  to shield you head.

And then you waited for a crash that never came.


	5. Explaining Impossibilities

The clamor of the kitchen drew to a sudden halt.

The only sounds left to fill your ears were your own heartbeat - frantic and pounding - and the wind howling through the open window in Baoshi's office.

But you didn't feel the breeze.

It was a chilly March evening and you had spent the entirety of it walking from the sweltering heat of the kitchen, out to the still-notable warmth of the lobby, and back. If the wind was blowing as hard as it seemed, you should have felt the tearing cold against your skin. 

Instead, there was nothing.

You opened your eyes - the lids aching from how tightly you had slammed them shut in anticipation.

The first thing you noticed was Etsuko, slack-jawed and staring, her attention entirely torn from the food on the stove before her.

Your gaze shifted to Baoshi, standing by his office door with a look of uncharacteristic look of bewilderment plastered on his face. Behind him you could see the window, and the curtains framing it hung undisturbed.

It wasn't making sense.

In an attempt to figure out exactly what was going on, you turned your sights upward, half-expecting to see the teapot sitting on the shelf as if nothing happened. As if you had just overreacted to its unsteady tilting, and just  _assumed_  it had actually fallen. That would have explained why your coworkers were staring at you with such perplexed looks. If one of your coworkers had freaked out and shielded their head for no discernible reason, you would have been confused too.

That was the only logical reason you could come up with.

Until you noticed that the teapot wasn't on the shelf.

Instead it was hovering in the air a few inches above your hands, spinning like a windmill in a breeze.

You were awestruck as you tried to comprehend exactly what you were seeing.

The teapot had fallen, but something had caught it.  _You_  had caught it, if you were reading into the situation right, but you  _couldn't_  have caught it because it wasn't in your hands. The pot didn't get caught on anything on its way down - it was  _spinning_  midair - so that couldn't be a reason for it either. Telekinesis didn't exist, and the only thing that could have resembled  _anything_  like that would be airbending, but everyone knew that there were only five airbenders left in the world and you most certainly were not one of them.

As your thoughts begin to race you felt a familiar rush - the same that came over you when the teapot fell.

You were having a panic attack. That  _had_  to be what was going on. Or maybe you were having some sort of meltdown from all the stress you were under. Maybe that was -

The roaring of the wind picked up, and your racing thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the teapot shattering against the ceiling.

It wasn't until the ceramic shards were falling down upon you that you could safely tell yourself that you  _definitely_  weren't imagining things. 

It felt like you needed to apologize for breaking something. It would be the most normal thing to do. You'd say you're sorry, and Baoshi would laugh and reassure you that you had nothing to worry about, the same way he always does.

It felt like you needed to ask if anyone had just seen what happened - like you needed to discuss and make sure that you really _weren't_  losing it, or to verify that it wasn't some weird fluke.

Most of all, it felt like you needed to curl up in a little tiny ball in the corner and just sleep for a solid ten years or so in hopes of never having to go through the trouble of even  _beginning_  to try and process what just happened.

"(Y/N)..." Baoshi's voice broke the silence. His tone was strained and unsteady. "I-if you could please meet me in my office.... That would be... Yeah... Just... I need a word with you."

You tried to reply, but you were choking on the words. After a moment that felt like it lasted far too long, you turned and looked at your boss and gave him a nod.

Your feet were like lead as you walked over to the door, and you could feel your hands trembling at your sides.

As soon as you stepped through the door, Baoshi closed it, and gestured for you to take a seat in one of the two dark brown leather chairs at the front of his desk. You did so without question.

He took his usual seat in the larger brown leather armchair across from you.

And then you waited in an uneasy silence as he sat for a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if he was struggling to maintain his composure.

Finally he spoke up.

"So, (Y/N)... Do you, by any chance, have any idea what just happened out there?"

Your mouth hung open as you tried to come up with something to say, but the most you wound up managing were a couple vague stammering sounds and a few desperate shrugs.

"I'll take that as, 'you don't know'."

"Y-yeah." You finally said, fighting past the fluttering in your chest and the tightness in your throat.

"Okay... Well, do you have any guesses? Can you explain what happened from your eyes? Can you at  _least_  give me a play-by-play?!" He wasn't raising his voice much, but he was definitely growing more frantic.

"I-I don't know. I was just trying to get the pot and it fell and I panicked and I tried to stop it and then... Then  _that_  happened!" Your voice cracked no matter how hard you tried to keep it steady. You were still panicking, and talking about the situation was only making you more worked up about it. But it was necessary whether you wanted it to be or not, and unfortunately you knew that.

"Right." He said with a sigh. "That makes perfect sense."

There was an uncomfortable pause before he asked the question that neither of you wanted to answer: "What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know..." That was beginning to feel like your catch phrase.

"Clearly we can't send you back to work-"

"Wait! I never said you couldn't! I'm fine!" 

He knew you weren't fine. Anyone who had seen that ordeal that just went down, and the state you were in, would have known enough to tell that you weren't fine. But you needed money, and on a night as busy as that one, you were making incredible tips.

If you needed to pretend that there was nothing wrong with you so you could stay, you would. 

"You managed to accidentally send a teapot flying five feet in the air and smashed it against the ceiling."

You couldn't really argue with that, but that didn't mean you weren't going to protest leaving. "Yeah, that happened, but that doesn't mean it'll happen again! Who knows, maybe it was like a one time thing, or something!"

"Look, I just can't risk an incident like that happening around one of the customers -"

"But it  _won't_!"

"We can't be sure of that."

"It's not going to be a problem, I promise! I need this money. I  _can't_  just go home!"

As your pleas became more distraught, you could feel the wind picking up. It began as just a small breeze, but with every word you were speaking it grew more intense. 

There was no denying that you were linked to it, if not the direct  _cause_  of it, but that just wasn't  _possible_. But if it wasn't possible then  _why_  did it grow worse as the panic about the realization of what was happening finally set in?

"Okay, so that's a thing." Baoshi said, some form of feigned apathy gracing his tone as he got to his feet and began to pace the length of his office.

"I-I'm sorry?" You were completely out of things to say. You had come to the conclusion that there wasn't a single array of words that could properly convey what you were feeling. "So what  _are_  we gonna do about this?"

"I have no idea." He confessed. "I've been in the restaurant business since I was what - sixteen? Over twenty years worth of this and I can tell you that I've  _never_  had any sort of training on 'what to do when your employee starts  _airbending_ '."

"I can't be airbending. I mean, yeah, it definitely  _seems_  like I am, but -"

"Shhh." Baoshi cut you off without hesitation. "Calm. You need to stay  _calm_."

"That's kinda easier said than-"

"Shhhhhh." He walked over to his desk, opened the top drawer, and pulled out a bag of hard candies. "Don't talk."

He handed you the bag, and while you wanted to be upset, they  _were_  pretty good candies, so you accepted his bribe.

"So, I've got two options for you here." He returned to his seat across from you. "We can either get you a ride home, or maybe Etsuko will walk you when she gets off her shift, or  _something,_  and you can take a few days off until you decide how you're going to deal with this." He paused, giving you a look as if he was worried you were going to send another gust of wind tearing through the room. "Or we can give a call to Chief Beifong and ask her how to handle this, and figure out a way to get it under control and get you back in here as soon as possible."

Neither of those options sounded very enjoyable. One way, you'd be out of cash indefinitely and struggling to cope with some weird power that you shouldn't have even had. The other way would get the police involved, and Chief Beifong was intimidating, to say the least.

"I think that the second option would be better, but I don't want to call the police if you're going to freak out, okay? I'm trying to make this as easy as possible for everyone."

You nodded, popping another candy into your mouth in hopes of giving yourself something else to focus on.

"So, can I call them?" His voice was gentle and sincere, but that didn't calm your nerves.

He was right, though. It was better for everyone.

* * *

"There's no way." Etsuko said, sitting in Baoshi's chair while your boss was out manning the stove. "Calls from all over the city?"

"I guess so, yeah. They said that they've been getting so many calls about 'airbending' or whatever that they don't know when they'll be able to have someone free to come over." You explained, shifting in your seat yet again. You had been stuck in that office for a solid hour, and you were encouraged by everyone - the Republic City Police included - not to go back to work. Which means that you got to spend an indefinite amount of time relaxing in the office.

Or, maybe "relaxing" is the wrong word for it. You were stuck there, and the longer you spent sitting there the more time you had to mull over everything that could be happening, and everything that could go wrong. It was just allowing panic to fester.

"So, what, you've just gotta sit here until they show up?"

"Pretty much." You shrugged.

"That blows." She paused for a second, and you could see her fighting back a smile.

"Please tell me that wasn't intentional."

"Nah, it wasn't. But I'm happy I said it."

She always had a bad habit of making terrible puns at the worst possible times. It was like her mind was programmed to spit out horrible plays on words even when she didn't mean to. If they were good puns, that might have made it less of a problem, but more often than not they just resulted in universal cringing.

At least this time it almost served to lighten up the mood.

But as quickly as the break in the tension came, it left. There was a knock at the office door before it swung open, revealing Chief Beifong herself.

"You're (Y/N)?"

"Y-yeah." You wanted to answer confidently, but it came out as more of a whimper.

"I'm gonna need to have a word with you."


	6. "It's A Long Story" Is An Understatement

You sat in the passenger seat of Chief Beifong's police cruiser - heart pounding, and your eyes fixed straight on the road ahead as if looking at the Chief would be enough to make you panic and unintentionally conjure up another zephyr. Which wouldn't be too far from the truth. With the state of panic you were in just being in that woman's presence, you were almost surprised that you hadn't already done that.

She had tried to interrogate you at the restaurant and you sent a calendar flying across the room straight at Baoshi's head, and at several points during the ride she attempted to ask you questions in a more casual manner, but her demeanor wasn't very conducive to relaxation. Upon realizing that every word out of her mouth increased the risk of an uncontrolled airbending incident, she decided it would be best for both of you to remain completely silent until you reached Air Temple Island.

You had mixed feelings about that - on one hand that meant that you weren't going to have a meltdown because of any poorly timed or harshly phrased questions, but on the other hand you felt a bit like you were going to explode. You desperately needed to work through what was happening, and sitting in an uncomfortable silence with one of the most intimidating people you had ever encountered wasn't doing anything to help with your coping. 

The car stopped at the dock, and Cheif Beifong turned to you. "We're going to have to board the ferry to get over there. You're not afraid of water, are you?"

You struggled to force words out of your throat. "I'll be fine."

She chuckled, shaking her head slightly before she got out of the car. You followed her lead, and trailed behind her as she approached several ferrymen, who seemed thoroughly absorbed in conversation. "We need passage to Air Temple Island. It's urgent."

They paused, glancing at the Chief, then at you, back at the Chief, then to each other.

"We can do that." One of the men, said with a shrug. "Right this way."

\- - -

You stepped off the ferry, and whatever fears and anxieties had been festering in your mind rapidly faded as you took in the sights of the island at sunset. The architecture was gorgeous - like nothing you had ever seen - and the flora and fauna gave the area an incredibly unique feel. The few people you had met who had gone to the island insisted it was a beautiful place, but their descriptions didn't even begin to capture the essence of it. It was hard to believe there was such a serene location right off of the ever bustling Republic City.

"Wait here." Chief Beifong instructed, her voice making you jump slightly. "I'm going to go find Tenzin and tell him you're here. Don't get yourself into any trouble."

You smirked slightly at that last comment. You were far too enthralled to even think about causing trouble, if you'd want to in the first place. The most you did was wander off of the dock, onto nice, dry land, and sit yourself down on the ground. You stared out at the rolling waves of the bay, letting your mind wander through the events of the past few days. It had been chaotic, that was a fact, with the vines and the stress, and the date and the over sleeping before work, and  _more_  vines. But none of that could have prepared you for what happened that day. Acquiring airbending went against every bit of common sense and every fragment of logic in your brain. No way you looked at it made sense, and you doubted that anyone else would be able to explain it either.

"Hey." A familiar voice came from behind you. "(Y/N)?"

You looked over your shoulder to see Mako walking towards you. "Hey!"

"It is you!?" You weren't sure if he was happy to see you, surprised, or thoroughly confused. It seemed to be some amalgam of the three manifesting as an uncomfortably loud question.

"Y-yeah?"

"I was wondering if it was." He explained - in the process clearing absolutely nothing up. He seemed to pick up on this, going on to elaborate. "Chief Beifong said that she picked up a new airbender. A waitress down at Yeye Shiyun's. 

"There are plenty of waitresses at Yeye Shiyun's." You replied, mentally listing off the five other waitresses who hadn't quit yet. Okay, so maybe there weren't  _plenty_ , but there were  _several_.

He stammered, his face turning a shade of crimson you had never seen on him. "It was a lucky guess."

"Right." You said with a knowing grin. You wanted to point out that "wondering" and "hoping" weren't interchangeable, but it didn't seem like the appropriate time for that much snark. At that particular moment in time, you were just happy to be seeing a familiar face - happy to be seeing someone who you'd be able to talk to about this situation with that  _wouldn't_  completely stress you out.

"Anyway, Beifong is talking to Tenzin about getting you proper training." Mako changed the topic with little tact, earning a giggle from you. He always had a rather mature, and slightly stern air about him, and his little falter struck you as oddly endearing. He continued on with feigned obliviousness. "It looks like he's going to have a whole class on his hands."

"There's really that many?" You weren't sure how to respond to that - you being the only new airbender didn't make sense, but a sudden, large group acquiring the ability? That didn't make sense either, and you couldn't tell which one sounded more impossible.

He nodded. "They're not all here yet, but we're working on rounding them up. We've got one guy here so far. His name is Daw. Lin dropped him off right before she went to grab you." He paused for a moment before adding, "I think you're handling it a lot better so far."

"You might be telling a different story if you were there to see the 'big reveal'."

"I don't think so... But it's probably not my place to talk about it." He glanced over his shoulder, as if he was waiting for someone to come looking for the both of you. Or perhaps worried someone was already standing there. "I'll tell you about it later, okay?"

"I'm holding you to that." You smiled.

"I'd hope so." The corners of his lips curled in a faint smile, causing your heart to flutter.

"So, what are you doing here anyway?"

"Korra - er, Avatar Korra - is going on a quest to find more airbenders." He removed something from his back that you hadn't noticed when he approached. It was a scroll case. "I've got the locations of all reported airbenders in the Earth Kingdom here. So, I'm dropping it off."

"Korra's leaving?" You worked in an industry where you met countless people every day, and heard all of the latest news and gossip from more perspectives than you thought possible. But you hadn't heard  _anything_  about Korra leaving Republic City.

"Let's just say it was a spur of the moment change."

You cocked your brow, hoping to coax more information out of him. As intriguing as his reserved behavior was, he was leaving you with more questions than answers and you were eager to find out exactly what was going on.

"President Raiko... kind of banned her from the city."

"Wait, what? Why?!" As if the day couldn't get any stranger, the Avatar was suddenly kicked from a city founded by an Avatar? Right. That made sense. Everything made sense. Everything was  _fine_.

That was a lie. Everything was a complete and utter mess and you had to wonder why you even bothered to crawl out of bed that morning.

"I'll explain that one to you later, too." He sighed. "It's all a  _really_  long story."

" _Today_  is a long story."

"Tell me about it." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Now come on, Tenzin wants to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the short update! I just needed to get back in the swing of this story, and this was my way of doing it. The next update is going to be longer and less of a filler chapter, I promise. And it will be posted reasonably soon. I'm not going to keep you guys waiting, like, five months again, don't worry.


	7. 7.) Introductions are in Order

"You must be (Y/N)." Tenzin extended a hand to you, seemingly oblivious to the giddy smile tugging at the corners of your lips. Or, perhaps that's because he got that reaction a lot. He was the son of Avatar Aang, after all, and the only master airbender alive. It was hard not to get a little starstruck in his presence - an issue only emphasized by his stately appearance and gentle eyes, assuring that he lived up to the legends.

You reached out and shook his hand, struggling to keep a steady voice as you replied. "I am. It's an honor to meet you."

"Please, the honor is all mine." He said with a slight chuckle. "It's not every day that I meet a new airbender."

"Yeah, well, it's not every day I randomly become a bender, so we're probably in a similar boat there." You giggle, half out of humor, half to fight back the fluttering that had returned to your chest.

"It must have been quite a shock." He finally let go of your hand, leaving you to go back to nervously fidgeting with the hem of your work shirt.

"In all honesty, it was kind of terrifying at first."

"From what I heard, you handled it well."

You couldn't help but snort at his comment, thinking back to the events of the past couple of hours and the near-chaos that unfolded. "With all due respect, I think you confused me with somebody else."

"Nonsense. You didn't hurt anyone, and according to Lin, you've been able to keep it under control by remaining as calm as possible. That alone shows me you have potential."

"Seriously?" You weren't sure which comment struck you more. The fact that Tenzin himself said you held promise, or the fact that cold, unflinching Lin Beifong had actually pointed out something relatively positive about you. You were almost positive she couldn't stand being around you, but maybe that really  _was_  all just her demeanor.

"Of course. Airbenders have always used meditation to become more in tune with their abilities. And while you might not be meditating, your trick isn't that different." His formerly stoic face softened into a smile. "I look forward to teaching you."

"I look forward to learning."

Before the conversation could continue, or linger on awkwardly, Tenzin's attention seemed to be caught by something behind you. "Ah, there's Asami. Come along."

You turned to follow his gaze, only to find an airship making its approach to one of the various cliff sides of the island. You didn't have time to ask any questions, as the others had already began heading off to greet...  _Asami_ , he said? Likely Asami Sato, you figured, trailing along behind the rest. The Avatar was close friends with her, so it only made sense that she'd be lending a hand in this trying time as well.

You climbed a small flight of stairs, and came upon a white brick walkway, and an arch leading out toward the cliff. Stopping beside Tenzin and his family, who you  _still_  hadn't been properly introduced to, you watched as the airship came to a halt. However your attention was quickly drawn away, as the identities of the figures standing in front of you became more obvious.

Or, the identity of  _one_  figure, more specifically.

She was a Water Tribe girl, with brown hair tied back in a ponytail and unmistakable attire.  _That_  was Korra.

 _That_   _was the Avatar._

Beside her stood a dark haired boy, clad in green, who you could only guess was Mako's brother, and a much older man in a red jacket, whose identity completely escaped you.

You hardly noticed the girl walking down the ramp from the ship, until you heard Korra's voice ring out. "It's perfect! Thanks Asami!"

"I figured if we're going to Ba Sing Se to search for Airbenders, we should do it in style." Asami said, the faintest hint of a grin on her ruby lips.

"Yay! Airship!" Tenzin's son screamed, as he and the younger of his daughters went barreling past you to go explore.

Mako's brother turned his head towards the source of the noise, taking a step back to avoid the hazard that was Tenzin's children, and his eyes caught your own. "Hey!" He beamed, "You must be one of the new airbenders!"

"Yeah, that's me." You admitted, suddenly feeling rather sheepish. As a waitress, you weren't used to getting this much attention from  _everybody_. Things weren't usually made to be about you, and suddenly you were thrust into the limelight along with others who you could only assume were equally unassuming.

"You're definitely not that Daw guy so..." He gasped, a look of realization dawning on his face. "That makes you the waitress! What was your name again?"

"You caught me." You replied, raising your hands in a motion of faux-surrender. "I'm (Y/N)."

"I'm Bolin. That right there is Korra. Y'know. The Avatar." He mentioned, pointing to the water tribe girl. "And that's Asami." He pointed to the green eyed girl talking to the Avatar, and you didn't have the heart to tell him you'd already figured all this out. "And my brother Mako should be around here somewhere."

"I actually already know Mako."

His eyes grew even wider at your comment, a giddy grin spreading rapidly across his face. "Oh! You're  _that_  (Y/N)!"

"Huh?"

"Mako's told me about you!"

"Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?"

"Good thing!" He reassured you. "Definitely a good thing."

\- - -

Bolin had a way with words. A way that involved him saying as many of them in a short period of time as physically possible, pausing only to ask questions or mull over answers, making the following minutes fly by much faster than anticipated. While the others had been nice as ever, Bolin didn't seem to dwell on the fact that you were a newfound airbender. He was much more curious about your time at the restaurant, if you liked pro-bending, and what the secret behind those dumplings he loved so much was.

While you appreciated the conversation, your mind was quickly drifting elsewhere. Namely to Mako, who was standing nearby talking with Korra. You weren't sure what was going to come of this situation - if he'd be leaving with them, or if you'd be leaving, or  _what_. You had  _finally_  gotten around to talking to him, spending time with him outside of your work, and now you'd likely both wind up heading your separate ways.

As you watched him hand the map over to the avatar, your chest began to sink further. It was only exacerbated when he gave you a brief wave, and walked off without any fanfare or proper goodbyes.

You turned back to Bolin, and noticed a pensive frown on his face. "I'll be back in a second. I need to go have a word with him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's uh. It's been a while. Only like, two years and three days.
> 
> Anyway, this isn't the best chapter, or the longest chapter, but I'm just trying to get back in the swing of updating this. It was one of my favorite stories to work on, and I've been wanting to get back around to writing it for a while. But these past two years have been absolutely insane, and not really conducive to doing anything. Seriously, everything I've done since my last update has just been rewrites of things, and I haven't even finished those. 
> 
> Thank you all for your continued support. Even though I haven't been updating, I've read all your comments, and they mean the world to me. I'm thrilled to know I've written something that people enjoy that much, and I hope I can keep doing so in the future. <3


End file.
